British F3: The full story

British Formula 3 breathed its last gasp at the end of 2014, but for many years it was a vibrant, colourful and super-competitive arena full of future superstars. MARCUS SIMMONS traces its story and the pivotal moments

Take a look at the picture above. The late 1980s was a real heyday of the British Formula 3 Championship, as a host of teams fielded upwards of 40 cars, with qualification races held at the shorter tracks.

Career-minded drivers, many of them future Formula 1 stars or professional aces, sported the colours of Marlboro, Benetton, Camel, Jewson, Cellnet and many other big backers. They shared the grid with impecunious youngsters or amateurs who could afford to compete in the one-year-old rolling stock that came on to the market every winter. Great days.